What do runners do when the seasons change and the days become shorter? They keep running in the dark. Training plans don’t stop for daylight saving time and neither should you.

Of course, it’s easy to be deterred when the sun rises later and sets earlier. And let’s be real, it’s way more dangerous to run in the dark. According to a 2021 report from the (NHTSA), pedestrians account for 17 percent of all traffic fatalities. An overwhelming majority of those deaths—about 77 percent—occur in the dark, and more than half happen between the hours of 6 P.M. and midnight.

Simply put, when visibility goes down, your chances of being hit by a vehicle go up exponentially. But with the right information, planning, and a few basic tools, it’s entirely possible to see and be seen so you are safer and more confident running in the dark.

Run With a Light (and a Back-up Light)

“Light sources are really important and tend to be overlooked, especially if you start during the day and don’t anticipate time getting away from you,” says , a competitive trail runner and hiker who, thanks to her Boston-based run commute and multiple, is more than familiar with running in the dark.

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No matter the route, Derstine always runs with a fully-charged headlamp that casts a wide cone of light, plus a backup light, like a handheld flashlight. A personal light source not only makes you more visible to drivers but also helps you navigate obstacles and uneven terrain.

Wear Reflective and Light-up Gear

Save your all-black running kit for the treadmill and wear light or brightly colored clothing and accessories, reflective materials, and safety gear, like clip-on LED lights, on nighttime runs. The further away drivers can spot you, the safer you’ll be when sharing the road.

Avoid Accident “Hot Spots”

The NHTSA that pedestrian fatalities are linked to specific locations and traffic conditions known as “hot spots.” These include roadways with five or more lanes to cross, areas with a speed limit of 30 mph or higher, and locations with traffic volumes exceeding 25,000 vehicles per day.

If possible, avoid routes with heavy traffic and higher speed limits, and stick to streets with sidewalks or wide shoulders.

Follow the Rules of the Road

If you didn’t know by now, runners should be running against traffic. showed there was a significant decrease in pedestrian-vehicle collisions when the person was walking against traffic, whether that be on a sidewalk, bike lane, or the shoulder of the road. The rest may seem like common sense: cross in a crosswalk, wait for the light, look both ways and just generally be aware.

Note that attitudes toward pedestrians vary by culture, community, and neighborhood. Just because you’re running by the rules of the road doesn’t mean every driver will stick to the speed limit or yield when they’re supposed to.

Run defensively and always err on the side of caution when crossing the street or passing through areas where you may be less visible to folks behind the wheel.

Skip the Tunes

Julie Morrill, founder of , a self-defense training company, advises against listening to headphones while running at night. “It can be helpful to have your sense of hearing available in the dark so that you can more easily hear traffic, animals, or other people approaching,” she says.

What About Trail Running in the Dark?

Derstine jokes that she became a nighttime hiker and trail runner “by accident” on the Appalachian Trail when she fell behind on her daily mileage goals. To make up for lost time, she began starting her days hours before sunrise and finishing up around 9 P.M.

A reliable—and fully charged—light source, she notes, is just as critical on the trail as it is on city streets. Without adequate lighting, it’s easier to miss trail markers, get disoriented, and trip or fall. She recounts a nighttime run when she started “panic running” as her headlamp began to fade. She tripped on a root and seriously injured her knee. “Everything can get a little bit heightened when you’re in the dark and vulnerable, so I think that contributed to the fall,” she says.

Animal Encounters in the Dark

While you don’t have to worry about sharing a wooded path with drivers, other trail-dwellers can pose a threat, especially at night. “Many predatory animals hunt at dusk and dawn, but as humans encroach upon habitats, some animals—including both grizzly and black bears—are in order to avoid human contact,” Morrill says.

Wildlife varies by region, so it’s a good idea to research an area before hitting the trail. But here are a few pointers to keep in mind no matter where you are.

Minimize surprise

The last thing you want to do is surprise an animal and cause it to feel threatened. “It can be helpful to wear bells or make noise as you run down the trail to allow animals to hear you,” Morrill says. Derstine taps her hiking pole on rocks, sings aloud, or, if she’s confident that no other people are nearby, plays music on a portable speaker.

Stop running

Screaming and sudden movements, like darting away from the animal, can trigger a chase response. Instead, talk calmly and firmly to the animal. “This lets it know you are human and not prey,” Morrill says. “Make yourself appear as large as possible.”

In the case of the attack, the appropriate response varies by animal. “If attacked by a mountain lion, coyote, or black bear, use pepper spray and fight back. If attacked by a grizzly bear, play dead by lying on your stomach with your hands crossed beyond your neck,” Morrill says. “Keep your legs wide to avoid being flipped over. Keep still until the bear is gone from the area.”

Consider carrying pepper spray

“Pepper spray is effective, but not if it’s tucked in the bottom of your hydration pack,” Morrill says. If you do choose to carry pepper or animal-repellent spray, keep it in the same easy-to-access spot on every run and have a plan for using it.

Not every trail runner feels comfortable with pepper spray. “I don’t feel confident that I’d use it correctly or that I’d even think to use it in the moment,” Derstine says. She notes that she’s more likely to defend herself using items she’s already carrying, like her heavy flashlight or hiking pole, which ends in a sharp, pointed tip.

Run with friends (but leave Fido at home)

showed that wild animals, specifically bears, are less likely to attack people traveling in groups. So, if you’re heading into nature and have the option to run with friends, take it.

However, if your favorite running buddy is of the four-legged variety, you may want to leave them at home. One published in International Bear News found that half of the reported black bear attacks in North America between 2010 and 2014 involved a dog. The authors speculated that most of the involved pets were likely running loose. So, if you run with your dog, ensure it’s on a leash.

Self-Defense for Running in the Dark

When it comes to protecting yourself against other humans at night, much of the above advice applies. Run with a buddy or in groups when possible. Wear a headlamp, but skip the headphones so that you can hear footsteps approaching. And if you choose to carry a safety tool, like pepper spray, an alarm, or a handheld weapon, make sure you have a plan for how to use it.

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Additionally, keep the following tips in mind:

Tell someone where you’re going

Whether it’s light or dark, tell someone where you are planning to run. “Let someone know where you are going and what time you expect to be back,” Morrill says. Have clearly defined next steps in place in case you don’t check-in, and make sure everyone is on the same page. You may also consider sharing your location through your phone or GPS device with a trusted family member or friend.

Be (and look) alert

Morrill likens staying alert while running to driving in bad weather. “Your driving attention is more focused, right? You can use the same techniques when running,” she says. “Your head is up, your eyes are relaxed but scanning the path ahead. You’re listening to nature and can pick up on any abnormal sounds, like footsteps behind you.” She says a heightened sense of awareness also changes your posture and makes you appear more confident and less like a victim.

Bring your phone

A phone enables you to call for help in the case of an emergency. But you can also phone a friend when passing through less populated areas or whenever your instincts tell you a situation is suspect. Even pretending to chat with someone may make you look less alone and vulnerable. Also, a sturdy cell phone (especially one covered in a hard case) is a blunt object that can serve as a weapon if necessary.

Scout the area

Familiarize yourself with a running route before hitting the streets at night. Are there any traffic “hot spots?” Are there sidewalks? Is the location populated, and do the area businesses stay open at night? “Take into consideration that some places that might be bustling during the day, like downtown in the city, might be ghost towns at night,” Derstine says.

Take a self-defense course

Even a single course can make a difference, Morrill says. (Derstine aims to take a self-defense class once a year as a “refresher.”) “If you take the time to train in self-defense, you better prepare your body and mind for the real thing. If you can’t make it to a self-defense course, even thinking about how you might respond to a safety emergency can be helpful,” Morrill says.

Use the defense pose

If you are confronted by an attacker, assume the “defense pose,” Morrill says. Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and stagger your feet so that your non-dominant leg is slightly in front of you. Lift your arms with your palms facing forward like you’re putting your hands on a picture frame in front of you.

This position makes you look bigger and more intimidating. Staggering your legs gives you a broader base of support so that you’re less likely to stumble. You can also pivot out of the way more easily. And if you do need to fight back, you’ll have more torque when striking with your dominant hand. A defensive stance can also help you steady yourself and focus when your adrenaline is pumping.

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On a recent trip to Revelstoke, British Columbia, my husband and I popped into a hardware store to purchase bear spray. Aside from our shock at the $51 (USD) price tag for an 8-ounce can, we were taken aback by the security measures required to purchase it.

Bear spray in Canada is not a grab-and-go purchase: The cashier pulled out a form that required name, address, the amount purchased, and a signed Notice to Purchase Agreement that contained a liability warning. The serial number from the spray—kept under lock and key—was included on the form, and we needed to show an ID prior to making the purchase.

If someone were to use the spray against a human, we learned, the serial number could be traced back to us. As a result, visitors are discouraged from passing on their canisters of bear spray to other users.

In the United States, purchasing bear spray does not require the same level of scrutiny—it’s as easy to buy as a box of granola bars. This makes passing on the canister to another hiker less onerous. However, other obstacles to safe disposal are as present in the U.S. as they are in Canada.

contains both a propellant and capsaicin, a concentrated form of the substance that makes chili peppers spicy. Considered hazardous waste, bear spray canisters can’t just be chucked in the trash, but require special disposal. The spray contributes to an ever-growing waste stream and poses a safety concern to landfill workers who could be injured from the toxic fumes.

At the end of our trip, as we drove to the Calgary airport in our rented car, the canister still lay on the floor next to my feet. I had done a quick Google search hoping to find a place to safely dispose of the toxic bear spray, but had been unsuccessful. And for obvious reasons, it couldn’t come home with us on the flight. I was at a loss.

An Increase in Use

While both the U.S. National Park Service and Parks Canada recommend doing everything possible to avoid bear encounters in the first place, they also recommend carrying spray when recreating in grizzly country to use as a final line of defense in the event of an attack. Grizzly bears are more likely to attack humans during an encounter than black bears, so carrying a deterrent in states where they live—Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, and Alaska—is particularly important. The spray protects both humans and bears, many of which are euthanized following an encounter.

Over time, the issue of properly disposing of bear spray waste is likely to grow. During the past five years, the number of American hiking enthusiasts increased 5.3 percent, while those camping increased 7.5 percent, said Kelly Davis, director of research at the Outdoor Industry Association. As interest in outdoor pursuits rises and the population continues to encroach on bear habitats, human-bear encounters may also increase. Likewise, the bear spray market is expected to expand, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Bear Spray Rentals

Bear spray is expensive, especially for a traveler who may not be able to bring it home for reuse. At an REI in Jackson, Wyoming, an 8.1-ounce canister (about 10 seconds worth of spray) costs $49.95 while a 10.2-ounce canister costs $54.95.

Most people who purchase bear spray will never actually use it, which spurred Montana resident Sally Vering to found in 2011. The company provides bear spray rentals in some U.S. National Parks beginning at $16 for one or two days.

Rentals do more than just saving travelers a few bucks. The service decreases the need for visitors to buy bear spray, keeping canisters out of circulation and landfills, said Patrick Collins, current owner of Bear Aware. The program runs over a dozen pick-up and drop-off locations around , Grand Teton National Park, and Jackson Hole.

Some parks in Canada also rent bear spray. At Canada’s Glacier National Park, visitors can rent a canister and holster for $15 (CAD) at two different locations. However, while visitors at a U.S. National Park can return used canisters, the same isn’t true with Parks Canada, according to Sierra Stinson, public relations and communications officer for Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks. Visitors who deploy their rented spray will need to find an alternative way to dispose of the canister.

Bear Spray Recycling

A group in Idaho’s grizzly country has focused on safe and environmentally friendly disposal. The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho Wildlife Department, with the help of Idaho Fish and Game and the Idaho Panhandle National Forests/USDA Forest Service, have established drop-off sites for bear spray disposal in Northern Idaho.

A waste facility in Eastern Washington accepts the recycled canisters from the Kootenai Tribe. At the center, workers puncture the cans and extract the spray. They filter out the active ingredient, which can then be reused. Some of it is added to paint and used on boats to repel barnacles. The plastic and aluminum from the can itself is also recycled.

A handful of collection sites are available in Montana as well. This includes the REI in Bozeman and most of Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional offices. In addition, several National Parks including Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier offer collection bins for the convenience of park visitors.

Plan Ahead

Back in Calgary, we ended up taking our chances and handing off the bear spray to the owner of our rental car, who was glad to have it. I later learned that the region does offer free, year-round disposal of hazardous material, including bear spray. However, this information was not easy to find, and the location was not convenient.

At best, bear spray rental and recycling programs keep toxic material out of landfills, more money in the wallets of outdoor enthusiasts, and humans and bears safe. However, the availability of these programs is not widespread and sometimes poorly promoted.

If traveling to bear country for an outdoor adventure, research local recycling centers and drop-off locations before you go. Armed with a little information, you can keep yourself, the bears, and the environment protected all at the same time.

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You might think features like pools of bubbling acid and hidden booby traps are safely relegated to the imaginary world of Indiana Jones. But in Yellowstone, they’re real. And they’re taking out tourists at a pretty astonishing rate. Just this week, a park visitor suffered third-degree burns after the ground gave way beneath her, dropping her into a pool of scalding-hot water hidden just beneath the surface.

The visitor, a 60-year-old woman from New Hampshire, was hiking off-trail near Old Faithful, the iconic geyser famous for its sky-tickling jet of 350°F steam. She was accompanied by her husband and dog. They didn’t realize how thin the ground was—or what was lurking beneath the delicate crust.

With one misstep, the hiker punched through the thin ground, falling and plunging one leg into the near-boiling water beneath. Her husband and dog remained uninjured. The group was able to self-evacuate to a nearby medical clinic, but the woman was ultimately airlifted to a hospital for further treatment. A from the National Park Service stated that incident remains under investigation. In the meantime, park officials remind all visitors to stay on designated trails and boardwalks.

While this is Yellowstone’s first hydrothermal injury of 2024, it’s not the year’s first close call. Earlier this summer, five visitors accidentally drove their car into a geyser and had to be rescued. Just two weeks after that, a sudden hydrothermal explosion sent hot water and rocks raining from the sky and left panicked visitors running for cover. Some of the stones were up to three feet across and weighed 100 pounds—enough to in the area.

According to the National Park Service, more people have been injured by Yellowstone’s hydrothermal springs than any of the park’s other natural threats. Hot springs-related injuries currently number in the hundreds, and at least by the scalding water. That’s nearly three times as many deaths as those attributed to bear attacks— over the park’s recorded history. Bison attacks happen from time to time, but only two bison-related deaths have been recorded.

In fact, the USGS has called the park’s geothermal springs “.” However, the park points out that not all burns or deaths are the result of accidents. On more than one occasion, an off-leash dog has taken a flying leap into a pool, and its owners have plunged into the near-boiling water to attempt a rescue. Other visitors ignore posted signage to get closer to the water for photo-ops—only to be surprised by a burst of steam.

While burns certainly make memorable souvenirs, the park tends to recommend a distanced selfie instead.

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It’s August. That means millions of people from all over the world are flocking to our national parks. With them come a steady stream of news stories that range in tone from comedy to horror. People tend to underestimate our untamed spaces.

Every year, we see people struggling to enjoy their visits, having a bad time, or worse.

Last week, an employee in Death Valley National Park after becoming severely dehydrated and fainting during a hike. He was scrambling up the west face of Panamint Butte when he ran out of water. His dehydration was so severe that he lost consciousness and slid down a scree slope.

I get why people get in over their heads. There’s signage, helpful rangers in uniform, and amenities like gift shops, hotels, and restaurants. It’s easy to Ěýforget amid all the air conditioning, WiFi, and icy-coldĚýbeverages that these are wild environments.

Here’s how to avoid those problems, and make the most of your trip to any national park.

Don’t Make the Mistake of Assuming National Parks Are Safe

Staying at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone? Those elk bugling in the parking lot are wild animals (extremely large ones) just about to enter their mating season, when the bulls will do battle to compete for females. The unique thing about the hotel is that you’ll get to witness that on the walk to your car. But despite the pavement under their hooves, those animals are still wild, and full of raging hormones—those huge antlers on their heads remain very dangerous.

I once went on national news to talk about tourists dying in national parks, and was asked with total sincerity by the host why someone couldn’t just build a fence around the Grand Canyon to prevent people from falling over the side. Beyond the challenge of building and maintaining a 2,600-mile long fence to encompass the canyon’s entire perimeter, the reason is that the entire point of a national park is to allow people to experience pristine nature in our country’s most beautiful places. Training the animals or building barriers would ruin that.

Don’t Mistake a National Park for Total Wilderness Either

Hiking down from Grinnell Glacier back to the Many Glacier Hotel last weekend, I was soaking my sweaty feet in Swiftcurrent Lake and watching my little cousins swim when another hiker waded in right in front of us, and proceeded to start gulping down handfuls of water straight from the lake.

This points to a unique duality in the nature of national parks: while they’re wild, they’re heavily visited.

That creates some important realities that visitors need to acknowledge, first of which is the need to filter any water you source from rivers, streams, or even lakes filled with sweaty humans or animal feces.

That’s also why it’s so important to minimize the impacts of our recreation. One poorly managed poo, for example, may not seem like a big deal, but scale a singleĚýundugĚýhole or scrap of toilet paper across the 325 million visits the parks system gets every year, and you can see why it’s not only vital to carry a trowel or pack out waste, but also to filter that drinking water.

Never Camp in a Campground Again

Plan Where to Stay in Advance

My wife and I have a cabin located near Glacier National Park’s west entrance, down a rural dirt road at the end of long driveway. So I totally get why, nearly every evening in the summer, someone drives down here hoping to find a place to camp. I can also picture their disappointment. Not only is there no camping along our road, but outside of often-fully-booked commercial campgrounds, there are no places to pitch a tent for dozens of miles in any direction. People who didn’t plan in advance end up parking illegally overnightĚýin emergency pull outs. Not only does that risk a ticket or an accident, they’re also missing the opportunity to spend a nice night under the stars.

Camping inside national parks tends to be highly-regulated. Front-country, vehicle-accessed sites typically require reservations, which book up well in advance. Backcountry camping is usually limited to designated sites, which again require reservations or permits that you have to apply for ahead of time.

But there are oftenĚýnational forests or areas run by the Bureau of Land ManagementĚýsurrounding or adjacent to many national parks. In those, you’ll almost always be able to do something called dispersed camping, where you can set up camp pretty much wherever you please so long as you follow a basic set of rules.

I’ve detailed those rules, along with best practices and the necessary gearĚýto pull off a successful dispersed camping trip in this article. If you’ve never done it, dispersed camping is a lot easier than you might fear, and, with just a little forethought, provides the experience most lost travelers who come down our driveway are actually looking for.

Realize the Drive Might Be a Challenge

The other night, we drove into Many Glacier to enjoy a nice dinner at the hotel. The lodge there was built between 1914 and 1915. It has amazing views of the surrounding peaks, and the restaurant is probably a lot better than you’d expect for a place managed by a government contractor. But what’s an easy jaunt for us, in one of our heavily modified 4x4s with off-road tires set to 20 PSI, is a total nightmare for people visiting in rental cars and minivans.

The 12-mile road in is mostly dirt, and feels like the physical manifestation of the park service’s $23 billion-and-growing maintenance backlog. Just on that one night we saw one broken down pickup truck getting an assist from a park ranger that required a temporary road block, and dozens of cars creeping along at slower-than-walking pace. On previous visits, we’ve had to stop and help drivers stranded in surprise snow storms, or who’ve run out of gas.

Here in Glacier and in other parks (our primary home is just north of Yellowstone), our friends and family are often surprised by how much traffic there is. They can’t believe the long travel times involved in even day trips in and around the park boundaries, and the frequent and unpredictable jams caused by wildlife, weather, and inattentive drivers. And for some popular areas frequently derails impromptu hiking trips.

Many national parks are located in remote areas prone to extreme, unpredictable weather, and draw visitors who may be inexperienced at preparing for such conditions. At the very least (and especially if you’re using a rental car), make sure your tires have plenty of tread, are inflated to the correct pressures listed inside the driver-side door jamb, and take the time to map out fuel or recharging stops along your route.

You’ll want to leave plenty of range in reserve in the event something doesn’t go according to plan. Grab a can of ahead of time, or at a gas stations. Carrying water and snacks, and appropriate clothing for the area and time of year, is also a good idea.

How to Take Photos of Wildlife on a Phone

Don’t Forget Your Binoculars!

By far the biggest mistake I see visitors to national parks make is showingĚýup without a pair of binoculars, which are the keyĚýto successfully spotting and observingĚýwildlife. On my most recent trip, IĚýused mine to study a flock of mergansers, watch a pair of bear cubs roll around in a meadow, spotĚýbald eagles catching fish, and even stare in utter horror as a pack of tourists tried to walk up to a full-grown bull moose in an attempt to snap a selfie.

Good glass is suchĚýan essential tool for a successful visit that I’ve set up a duffle bag for friends. That way, I can easily hand them the ability to get the most out of their trip. In it is a set of (the first number is magnification, the second objective size), that brand’s , and an complete with theĚýnecessary attachments to mount either glass.

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This month, we’ve already seen the in human history based on average temperatures across the globe. And while that heat is dangerous to humans, it’s even worse for dogs. Because they can’t sweat, dogs struggle to release heat as efficiently as humans can. In an effort to help our four-legged friends survive this summer, I examined the ways in which dogs can avoid heat-related illness—and what we as pet owners can do if our canine’s temperature rises too high.

What Is Canine Heatstroke?

Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition that occurs when an animal’s body loses the ability to cool itself. The result is organ dysfunction and then damage that could be permanent or fatal.

According to Cornell University’s Canine Health Center, dogs begin to experience heatstroke when their internal temperature .

“If elevated body temperatures are prolonged, they will cause damage to every organ in the body,” the University’s material reads. “Heatstroke commonly leads to acute kidney injury, blood clotting issues and shock.”

Heatstroke can be caused solely by environmental conditions—hot temperatures—or result from a combination of environmental conditions and such as too much exercise.

How Dangerous Is Canine Heatstroke?

A study published in Nature found that out of 905,543 dogs who entered formal veterinary care in the United Kingdom during 2016, . Fifty-six of those dogs (14 percent) died as a result.

That same study found that incidents of dogs suffering heat-related illnesses is increasing year-on-year, something the authors attribute to climate change.

Mortality rates are higher in hotter areas of the world. , for instance, found that 50 percent of all dogs admitted to vets for heat-related illnesses died. A study of records for otherwise healthy dogs treated for heat-related illnesses in the United States found that as a result of heatstroke, or 36 percent. A German study pegged the studied fatality rate for heatstroke in that country at .

What Are Symptoms of Heatstroke in Dogs?

If a dog is or has been exposed to hot temperatures, Cornell says the following signs may indicate that they may be experiencing heat related illness:

• Heavy Panting
• Drooling
• Bloody diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Collapse

What Heat Risks Do Dogs Experience?

Dogs are at particular risk of heatstroke for two reasons: They can’t sweat like humans, and our best friends are exposed to more extreme heat than we are, even when we share spaces.

Humidity: When dogs pant, they allow moisture to escape from their lungs, reducing body heat. High humidity can halt that process, preventing a dog from cooling itself.

Environmental factors: A study conducted in Alabama found that, on average, dogs experience temperatures 1.3 degrees hotter than those experienced by their owners. Variables like clothing, shade, and distance from the hot ground may contribute.

Hot surfaces: Even in 75 degree ambient temperatures, direct sun exposure can increase the temperature of pavement to 125 degrees or more. That’s hot enough to burn a dog’s paws. In Arizona this month, street temperatures have been measured .

Health: The Nature study found that factors like a dog’s skull shape (brachycephalic, or short-nosed dogs), obesity, and age significantly increased risk of heatstroke.

Hot cars: Across all studies and reports, one factor stands out above all others—dogs left in hot cars are most at risk for heatstroke. A parked car can reach dangerous temperatures in a matter of minutes, even if the windows are down.

What Should You Do if Your Dog Gets Heatstroke?

If you suspect that your dog is beginning to overheat, or if you discover a dog you think is suffering from heatstroke, you need to cool it down immediately.

If possible, first move to shade or an air conditioned environment. Then apply ice, cool water, or other tools directly to the dog’s skin to cool it down as rapidly as possible.

“I use water and ice,” says Joe Spoo, a sporting dog veterinarian located in South Dakota. “With the ice, I’m using it strategically deep in the groin, deep in the armpits, and across the jugular.”

Spoo explains that those areas are closest to major arteries, allowing ice to cool the dog as effectively as possible. He also recommends drenching the dog in cool water, or even placing it in a body of water like a lake or stream, should one be available. If water is in short supply, he says you can soak a towel, t-shirt or similar with a water bottle, and apply that to the same areas.

When I take my dogs hiking or camping during the summer, I throw a cooler or 12-volt fridge in the truck, and keep a few ice packs and jugs of water in that. Even on short outings, where I’m not otherwise packing food and drinks.

Spoo also recommends carrying a thermometer as part of your dog first aid kit, and using that to monitor temperature change in your dog. Normal internal temperatures for dogs run between 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re worried your dog may be overheating, Spoo suggests using a thermometer not just to take a reading, but rather to monitor whether or not the dog is cooling down.

“During heatstroke, the problem is your dog’s internalĚýthermometer is broken,” the vet explains. “The key with heatstroke is that the dog loses the ability to cool itself down. So take its temperature at 5, 10, and 15 minutes, and if you have a temperature that’s climbing or staying the same you have a problem.”

And while Spoo says you need to cool a dog experiencing heatstroke as quickly as possible, you should use that thermometer to keep an eye on its internal temperature, and stop cooling at 103 degrees.

Once you’ve cooled a dog down to a safe level, you need to get it to an animal hospital as fast as possible. There, a vet may administer intravenous fluids, antibiotics, perform a blood transfusion, or otherwise treat any organ damage that may have occurred. But a vet cannot cool a dog any faster or more effectively than you can, so prioritize cooling the dog before transporting it, or make sure you’re able to cool it during transportation.

How Can You Prevent Your Dog from Getting Heatstroke?

Spoo says a good guidelineĚýfor active dogs is to add together the air temperature and humidity level, and, if the sum exceeds 150, then “it’s a danger zone for most dogs.”

In hot weather, leave your dog in a reliably air conditioned or shaded space, and make sure they have plenty of cool water to drink. Never leave a dog unattended in a parked car.

It’s also important to get to know your dog, and in what conditions they do well or struggle. Temperatures that may be safe for a young, healthy mutt, may be lethal for a senior, overweight, brachycephalic purebred like a bulldog.

But Spoo says this knowledge, and even a mastery of first aid techniques should not be used as an excuse for exposing your dog to danger. “Don’t use this information to push boundaries, and then try to save your dog,” the vet advises.

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The sky flashed white, and in a single instant, the whole herd dropped dead. So did their caretaker. Mike Morgan, a longtime Colorado rancher, was feeding his cattle at the time of the strike on Saturday, May 25, and did not survive. While these kinds of lightning-induced mass-casualty incidents are fairly common, the tragedy was the first of its kind in Colorado.

Morgan was standing in the back of a trailer, and the cattle had bunched around him to feed. The close proximity of the animals likely made them particularly vulnerable. Morgan’s wife was leading horses to the trailer at the time, while her father was driving the trailer’s tractor. Both individuals remained uninjured.

George Crocket, a local coroner, that it was the worst lightning strike he’d ever seen in the area. “I’ve seen horses get killed, but it’s usually one at a time,” he said.

How Can a Single Bolt Take So Many Lives?Ěý

This isn’t the first time a lightning strike has instantaneously dropped an entire herd. In fact, lightning accounts for about 80 percent of accidental livestock deaths, according to USDA data.

“It is not unusual to have a large group of animals felled by lightning,” Steven Clark, the president of the Lightning Data Center at Lakewood’s St. Anthony Hospital, said in a . “More often than not, it will be a ground current. In other words, the lightning will hit an object on earth, and the current will flow through the ground and kill the animals.”

Ground currents happen when lightning strikes the landscape and then continues to travel along the surface of the earth. Since human and animal bodies conduct electricity better than soil does, lightning tends to travel through their bodies instead of the ground whenever possible.

Farm animals like cows are among the likely to be affected. For one thing, they’re four-legged. That orientation means a current can travel through the ground, up the creature’s forelegs, and down its rear legs. Along the way, the electrical current must pass through the animal’s heart.

Cows also tend to huddle together, which increases the chances that a bolt of lightning flowing through ground will be able to before the electrical charge has time to disperse and weaken.

Lightning-induced livestock deaths aren’t always reported. But reports that do come in usually include 10 to 30 animals. Sometimes, cases are even more extreme. In 2016, a herd of more than likely lost their lives to lightning in Norway. Since lightning generally strikes the earth as opposed to a specific target, ground current was the likely cause.

What’s the Takeaway for Hikers?Ěý

Agricultural workers—including ranchers, migrant workers, and fieldworkers—are more vulnerable to lightning than almost any other population on the planet. This is especially true in areas of the world where there’s little to no shelter from storms. While the Colorado incident is a sobering reminder of the dangers farm workers face, it also bears some important takeaways for outdoor recreationists.

Hikers are often told they’re safe from lightning as long as they’re not standing on a ridgeline. That’s one of many . This strike took place on flat ground—a reminder that nowhere outdoors is entirely risk-free during a storm. The strike also happened on a summer afternoon—a time notorious for thunderstorms in the Rockies. This critical 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm window is when of injurious lightning strikes happen in Colorado.

The other takeaway is the danger of ground strikes as opposed to direct strikes. In this case, the bolt probably didn’t come down on Morgan’s head. Instead, a ground current was the likely culprit of the deaths. Ground currents are hard to predict or control, and yet they’re responsible for of lightning deaths and injuries. So, just because you’re not standing next to a tall object, doesn’t mean you’re safe.

Lightning strikes only kill about 10 percent of the people they hit. Still, often comes with its own challenges. So, if you hear or see a storm coming, do your best to get out of the open and under tree cover as soon as possible. And remember, the only way to guarantee safety is by taking cover in a hard-sided building or a vehicle.

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Free dog treats are usually a welcome gift for pet owners—but a recent sabotage attempt in Pennsylvania marks a notable exception to that rule. At least a dozen fish hooks were found embedded in treats along the Appalachian Trail yesterday, in an apparent attempt to injure or kill unsuspecting pets. Officials made the discovery in the Lehigh Gap area near Slatington, Pennsylvania, and immediately issued a warning via social media.

“All treats that were found have been removed, and authorities have been notified,” wrote the Lehigh Gap Nature Center in a recent . “Hikers with pets should use caution on the Appalachian Trail around the Lehigh Gap.”

The post was shared more than 7,000 times in 24 hours, and Lehigh Gap Nature Center disabled the comment section after conversations became heated.

In a , Chad Schwartz, executive director of the nature center, said this part of the trail sees heavy traffic this time of year. He expressed surprise at the apparently malicious intent behind the planted dog treats and said this is the first time any such activity has occurred within the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. He remains hopeful that this will be an isolated event.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that malicious booby traps have been set along the Appalachian Trail. In 2016, a hiker discovered a along the Pennsylvania State Game Lands 305 section of the Appalachian Trail. The board seemed to have been set as a trap to harm visitors to the area. In 2019, in Wilkes-Barre, a different part of Pennsylvania, when he rode into a rope, which had apparently been slung across the trail to flip cyclists.

This also isn’t the first case of trailside attacks targeting pets. In 2022, hikers discovered hidden along a trail in Idaho. In previous years, poisoned meatballs, contaminated ground beef, and other forms of bait have taken out pets in nearby areas.

Right now, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is keeping an eye out for further incidences of fish-hook-filled dog treats, and authorities are actively searching for the perpetrators. No dogs have been reported injured at this time. They’re encouraging anyone with additional information to report it to 1-888-PGC-WILD.

In the meantime, locals are encouraged to keep pets on the leash—and to regard any freebie treats with caution.

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Safety training is especially important as we head in the fall. With shorter days, fickle weather, and more intense conditions, the inherent risk grows exponentially. Deep in the backcountry, one small mistake can have outsized consequences.ĚýTrail runners can be prone to see technology as an ironclad insurance policy, while in reality it can be an illusion of safety without the right trail safety training and know-how paired with it.Ěý

“The need for backcountry safety classes is skyrocketing,” says Nelson, a long-time Patagonia-sponsored ultra runner who sees a need for trail running specific medical classes that focus on the most common problems in the backcountry and teach solutions using the gear you are likely to have while running.Ěý

“Everyone should take a class, especially the cohort pushing further into the backcountry on fast-and-light missions, FKT attempts, and long alpine efforts. Unfortunately, right now we’re lucky when groups have just one person with any sort of training. As a community, we need a higher standard.Ěý

“I have plenty of friends and people I care about in the trail running community who aren’t prepared for things to go sideways,” says Luke Nelson. “The ethos is, if you go fast enough you’ll be fine—but that’s not always the case. I’m most worried about super capable athletes who can go really far, really fast.”

While he wasn’t with or , Nelson says these two near misses were major catalysts behind starting (AEM), his new wilderness medicine company. “These incidents, plus many others, motivated me to change the narrative,” he says. “Right now, a lot of runners are relying on luck and speed as plan A, instead of having the skills for emergencies in the backcountry.”

Fortunately, both Campbell and Joys had just enough training and relied on the right instincts to stay alive. “Both had good outcomes because of quick responses and quick rescues, but it easily could have gone another way,” says Nelson, who sees an opportunity to educate trail runners. “Our community talks about stuff like nutrition and recovery all the time. We need to include first aid in those conversations.”

Who Needs Wilderness Safety Education?

Statistically speaking, World Athletics reports that participation in trail running has grown , up to nearly 20 million people in 2022. This includes everything from neighborhood trails to remote and technical alpine terrain.Ěý

However, unlike the growth in avalanche education for winter backcountry users or swiftwater rescue training for whitewater paddlers, there has not been a trail running-specific medical training until very recently. Nelson says that because trail running is often perceived as safe and more approachable, fewer runners have invested in a safety class, even among the elite ranks.

“Everyone who ventures into the backcountry should have some sort of training,” says Campbell, who says his personal approach has changed dramatically in the years since his accident. While scrambling up a peak with two friends in August 2016, he pulled on a loose rock and rag-dolled 200 feet, suffering a broken ankle, hip, and multiple vertebrae. “Knowing how to identify injuries, stabilize a patient, improvise, and stay calm in a moment of crisis makes a world of difference,” he says.ĚýĚý

On top of the basics, Campbell says the most important thing is knowing how and when to call for help. He encourages all trail runners to bring a satellite messaging device, practice using it, and to call for help early. “The hardest rescues are when the group doesn’t know when and where to stop, so they just keep going and get into even more trouble.”

Nichelle Scoggin, who took a class with Alpine Endurance Medicine last spring, says that many trail runners, including herself, often miss the inherent risks around them. “It can be a wild place, and we have to respect that,” she says. “I used to run with just shorts and a sports bra, but not anymore. Ignorance is bliss, until it gets us in trouble. These days, I always bring a pack and a first aid kit with stuff I learned in the class.”

What Safety Classes Exist for Trail Runners?

Two of the most common backcountry safety classes, Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and Wilderness First Aid (WFA), are a decent place to start. However, because they are designed for a wide variety of outdoor users and broad sampling of use cases—lightning strikes, snake bites, triage, among others— they often lack depth.Ěý

“WFR tries to teach everyone how to deal with all of the possibilities, which keeps it at a surface level,” says Nelson. “It lacks specificity and doesn’t apply directly to trail running.”

In the last couple years, trail running-specific trail safety classes have started to pop up, but are still a novelty. Backcountry Medical Guides launched a based in the San Juan Islands. Run The Alps partnered with Tahoe Wilderness Medicine to create a . Desert Mountain Medicine plans to offer a in the near future. But, the biggest practitioners, NOLS, Outward Bound, and Wilderness Medical Associates, haven’t yet jumped in.

Nelson saw this opportunity and created Alpine Endurance Medicine to focus on the most common trail running risks, like bad falls, sprained ankles, and dislocations.Ěý

“The core idea is to go on trail runs, sometimes 10 miles or more, and then practice skills. This simulates what you’ll actually feel like when accidents happen. The general assessment part is similar to WFR, but the outcomes are often different, because you can only use what you have in your running pack. It’s much more real.”

“Knowledge is powerful,” says Scoggin. “By taking a class designed specifically for trail running, you’re better prepared for the injuries you’ll likely see.” Her course focused on risks around heat, altitude, and other environmental challenges, as well as wound care, orthopedics, and sprains. “We took turns working through scenarios in the backcountry, getting to be the leader and in a supporting role, too,” she says.Ěý

Tips for Staying Safe on Trail Runs

“What’s important to remember is that wilderness medicine rarely has serious interventions,” says Nelson. “A few small tools and skills can often be the difference between life and death, buying minutes to get help.” If you don’t have the time or resources to take one of these classes and get hands-on experience and coaching, here are five small but effective tips to stay safer while on backcountry runs.Ěý

• Little Things, Big Impact: A large first aid kit is heavy and clumsy to carry on long runs, which is why it is often left behind. Nelson says that adding two safety pins affords you the ability to make a sling and swath, and take care of blisters or slivers. “For the weight, they are invaluable.” Your first aid kit should also have an emergency blanket, tape, lighter, and a whistle. These give you an extra 10 percent safety margin and fit in your pocket, so there’s no excuse not to bring them.” Scoggin says her kit, which also includes a SAM split, two triangles, tourniquet, PPE gloves, and meds for allergic reactions and inflammation weighs just 14 ounces. “Most people don’t realize how long SAR teams take to get into the backcountry and you need to be prepared,” she says.
• Match The Objective with the Group. Campbell says the most critical part of the day is before he gets on the trail. “I obsess about the weather and making sure the objective is suitable for the conditions and the group’s capabilities. Then make sure I have contingencies in place.” Nelson agrees, saying that prevention is “at least 70 percent of the battle” and encourages trail runners to always have an action plan if something goes wrong. “Ideally you’ll have training to take care of small problems that come up, but the best solution is to never get there in the first place.”
• Encourage Open Communication. After planning a route and objective, Campbell works to foster open communication among the group, checking in to see how everyone is feeling that day. He’ll continue to check in throughout the day, to see how each person is feeling, mentally and physically. This creates trust and makes hard decisions much easier. “I have a rule that if I ask myself more than three times if it’s worth it, then I pull the plug and celebrate making a good decision.”
• Dial in Comms—and Practice Before the Run. Before you head out, know the tools your group has to talk with the outside world, especially when going out of cell service. Nelson and Campbell recommend a Garmin InReach, which can text from almost anywhere. Make sure you practice using it beforehand, so you are ready in an emergency. Being able to contact search and rescue immediately will save hours of time, avoiding the worst case scenario. “It’s best to call for help early,” says Campbell, “pushing on and calling later often makes the rescue more complicated.”
• Make Time to Debrief. Both Campbell encourage groups to sit down after an adventure and discuss the good, bad, and ugly. “Did we just get away with something? Did I miss a sign?” are important questions to ask, he says. “A thoughtful debrief is one of the most underutilized tools in wilderness safety and a great way to see if you got away with something,” says Campbell, helping reevaluate your approach next run and improve margins. Scoggin agrees, saying that her class took S.O.A.P. (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) notes as part of their final evaluation, a more formal way to write up the accident and encouraged everyone to do the same. “There’s a lot to be gained from talking about mistakes,” she said.

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